Of Birds and Bats
by JemsnJewels
Summary: 'I'll stay with you forever, till the very end.' Friends? Lovers? Maybe. But one thing's for sure; he's Dick and she's Babs and they'll never let each other go. This is the story of how they came to be. One-shots.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Okay, for all of you who have been following the fic, I'm sorry I haven't updated in months. I was in another country for three months where they don't have electricity for hours at a time. Plus, you know, life and TV shows and other stuff distracted me...

The reason there are only two chapter now are because I took off the rest and I'm going to write some extra ones so that everything goes according to the time-line, in order, and not like the random way I was posting them up before.

Needless to say, I was depressed for ages after YJ was cancelled. Instead they keep dumbass other shows which I'm pretty sure the creators came up with when they were high (you know which ones I'm talking about).

Disclaimer: Too long of a list so I'm just going to say I own none of it.

Sorry for any inconsistencies, grammatical errors and ignorance on my part.

**CHAPTER 1**

Her life used to be so peaceful, she remembered. And then that day had arrived, the day she had met that black haired, smart-mouthed boy with the glint in his eyes.

She remembered meeting him for the first time in her father's office. She had come to the police office after the commissioner had called for her to come there straight after school. He said he had some work and he didn't want her home alone.

'There's a boy in there,' James Gordon bent down and whispered, pointing to the door of his office. 'His name is Richard Grayson. His parents were just killed and he has no one so I'm going to have to ask you to take care of him for a while, okay Babs?'

She nodded her little eight year old head seriously and went on to push open the door. A boy was sitting there on the couch, hugging his knees and shaking uncontrollably.

'Ar- are you Richard Grayson?' she asked slowly.

The boy looked up and she saw that his eyes were bloodshot. She had a little experience with this, she had seen and comforted a few kids sitting in that office before, after they had been orphaned. Her father would call her to keep them company until some arrangement was made. Despite only being eight years old, James knew she would hold their hand and help them, she was good like that.

This was the part she hated the most, seeing them so broken, so hurt and dissapointed at the cruel world.

'Yes, that's me,' he murmured, wiping his nose with one sleeve and staring at her. Or maybe at her bright red hair.

She walked over to him and sat down beside him. He had stopped crying and was just now slouching there, having given up.

'It's okay to cry you know,' Barbara said to him. 'Even if you're a boy.'

He looked at her. 'No, I don't think I could keep doing that. I'm pretty sure my tear ducts are empty by now.'

They were silent for a moment.

'Are you scared?'

'I don't know,' he replied at length. 'They shouldn't have died like that, none of them. They didn't deserve it.' He squeezed the pillow he was holding, the anger clearly showing on his face; he was lost in the horrible memory.

She reached out and took his hand and he looked up in surprise. 'Reliving it never helps. And anger, it's even worse; you'll be stuck in this vicious cycle.'

When his jaw didn't unclench, she sighed.

'My mother died in an accident, when I was five, right in front of my eyes. She was the nicest person anyone could have ever known. She gave charity to the poor, she helped the disabled, she worked to pay the bills, and she always made time for me and dad. She shouldn't have had to die; it wasn't fair, I was angry at the world. That's how I thought in the beginning anyways. Then I realized that the anger wasn't helping anyone, anything, it wasn't going to bring her back. I was just making myself miserable. After realizing that, I began to regain my life, talking to my friends, really living again. Because I know that wherever she is, it has to be better than this place and wanting her back would just be selfish.'

His eyes had cleared and he was looking at her with his eyebrows furrowed, examining her. 'How old are you?'

'Nearly nine, why?'

'You sound about thirty.'

'Thanks,' she grumbled.

More silence then-

'Thank you,' the boy said and ruffled his black, currently really messy hair. 'That helped.'

Barbara smiled. 'You'll survive kid.'

'I hope so,' he snorted.

'Yeah, you certainly have enough sarcasm.'

Just then the door opened and comissioner Gordon stepped in, accompanied by none other than billionare playboy Bruce Wayne.

The two children's mouths fell open.

'That's him,' James said to who nodded in approval.

'Yes that's him,' his latter nodded sternly.

'Well then, we'll just need you to sign some documents,' James led him back out.

'What was that about?'

Barbara shook her head. 'No idea. Unless-'

James came in again and bent down in front of Richard. 'Mr. Wayne wants to adopt you. Is that fine with you? Take your time, we don't need your answer immediately.'

Richard's eyebrows shot up, along with Barbara's. For a minute he didn't say anything, contemplating.

'Y-y-yes. Of course,' he finally managed to stutter out. 'Better than staying at an ophanage.'

James nodded and got up. 'Well then, that's settled. I'll come and get you in an hour or so. Babs, keep him company.'

More shocked silence filled the room once the commisioner left the room.

'Well that was sudden,' Barbara muttered.

...

Richard gave a sudden yelp.

'What?' Barbara asked, alarmed.

'Bruce Wayne. Bruce freaking Wayne wants to adopt me. I'll be able to buy as many candy bars and computer games as I want!'

Barbara rolled her eyes. 'Hello, your parents, just died.'

'Right, right, I know,' he calmed, his eyes watering again. 'But you just gave me a long lecture about getting over it and I'm sure my mum's celebrating from heaven right now too.'

She rolled her eyes once again and smiled at the boy, squeeezing his hand. He was her kind of person.

They were still quipping at each other when the commissioner came to take Richard and officially give Mr. Wayne custody of the child.

She got up and hugged him, much to the boy's surprise. 'I'll be seeing you around Richard.'

'Why's that?'

'Well firstly because my father and Bruce Wayne have meetings on many occasions and secondly Gotham academy is run by him, and I happen to go there, which means you will most probably be going there too, and so, I will be seeing you around.'

He grinned, though not as widely as she later found out he could. 'Okay. Oh, and its Dick. Richard sounds too formal.'

'Okay, Dick Grayson. You can come to me about anything, okay?'

'Thanks,' Dick nodded.

It was just as he was out the door, one arm grasped by the commissioner lest he should get kidnaped before Bruce Wayne could at least say hi to him, that a thought occured to him.

'I never did catch your name!' he called out.

'Barbara! Barbara Gordon!'

And that was how she went home, still smiling like an idiot, knowing that she had found a friend in that, black haired, smart-mouthed boy with the glint in his eyes. What she didn't know was that her life would never be the same after.

**A/N: Don't know exactly what age he loses his parents but I just liked around nine. And I used this version of Barbara's mother's story. **

**Thanks for all the review, follows and favorites. They keep me going =)**

**I'm going to go and cry in anguish over Wally now. Peace out.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

CHAPTER 2

The second time Barbara saw Dick Grayson in person again was when he showed up at Gotham academy, one week after their first encounter.

He looked much better than he had the last time, his hair was combed to the side and his uniform in pristine condition, but still, there was a certain sorrow in his eyes that could not be hid.

But the way he walked through the hall was confident, not nervous or lost. Like he knew where he was going, not caring about the stares of students wondering why a newbie would arrive midway between a semester. He hadn't seen her yet and she was about to go over and say hi but the first bell of the day rang and the tide of students rushing to classes prevented her from doing so.

Quickly grabbing her books from her locker, she hurried to math and arrived just as everyone was settling down.

She started towards her usual spot, beside her best friend Amara, but then she met the gaze of a pair of bright blue eyes looking her way and she changed her mind. Mouthing the words '_later'_ to Amara's quizical expression as she passed by, Barbara took a seat next to Dick.

'Hi,' she smiled.

He returned the gesture, the hollow look in his eyes evaporating. 'Hi.'

'So...' she began. 'How has life at the Wayne household been?'

He grinned. 'Really good, actually. Well Bruce is a bit standoffish but I think he's never been around kids so he's awkward. But he has a butler named Alfred and he's been great. He took me shopping for clothes-'

Barbara snorted.

-_because _I had none and he let me get bags of candies, though he warned me that he won't let me get as many next time cause they're bad for health. Oh and you should see my room. Bruce had these really new models of computers installed- for video games, he said- but really, I've been trying to create this new programme for-'

He stopped as the teacher arrived and the rest of the chatter died down too.

'That's Mrs. Wiggs,' Barbara whispered. 'She doesn't take kindly to anyone talking while in class.'

The woman in question, a stout figure with horn-rimmed glasses and a hard gaze that flitted their way, announced the pages and excersises they would be doing that day.

'And Miss Gordon, as Mr. Grayson is new and has missed quite a bit of the semester, will you please assist him if he requires it?'

'Yes, ma'am,' Barbara replied.

The class began on their equations and Barbara turned to Dick. 'Now chatter-mouth, anything you don't know?'

Dick glanced over the questions on the page. 'Nope.'

'Are you sure?'

'Positive.'

'Okay,' Barbara said. 'Whatever you say.'

They worked diligently on the questions at hand, Barbara glancing every so often at Dick, who was concentrating with intensity.

She reached the last three questions though and her full attention was occupied by the fractions which took her a while to complete. Once she had written the final answer to the question though, she looked up again, expecting, as usual to be the first one to have finished.

Dick Grayson was already leaning back on his chair, his eyes lost in space. She looked over at his workbook still lying open in front of him and her jaw nearly dropped.

'You're finished?' she sputtered and he snapped back to reality.

'Oh, yeah. They were a piece of cake.'

'You're finished,' she repeated. 'Before me?'

'Um, I guess,' he ventured slowly. 'Why?'

'Well I should let you know that no one has _ever _finished in this class before me.'

'Really?' he smirked. 'Looks like you have competition, Gordon.'

'Looks like it,' she grumbled.

The bell rang and the students tripped over each other to leave their workbooks at the teacher's desk and get out of the classroom as soon as possible. Dick and Barbara were last to leave their workbooks and Mrs. Wiggs told them to hold up a minute.

Exchanging looks, they stayed put as the woman's eyes swept over Dick's work.

'Any trouble, Grayson?' she inquired, putting his book down.

'No, ma'am,' he replied, meeting her gaze with confidence.

'Did you need any help?'

'No, he did it on his own,' Barbara answered. 'He seems to be up to date.'

'All right answers too,' Mrs. Wiggs said. 'Looks like you have competition, Gordon.'

Barbara had to hold back a smile at the teacher's choice of words. 'Yes, I'll just have to work harder.'

They were dismissed and they headed to their lockers to get the books for the next lesson.

'Which school did you go to before this?' Barbara asked. 'You must have been top of your class.'

The shadows returned in Dick's eyes and Barbara realized that the question was a mistake.

'I was homeschooled,' he replied, leaning against the locker next to hers as she pulled her books out. 'My parents were gymnasts at a circus and in turn, so was I. We travelled around to different places so I couldn't really go to school.'

'Oh,' she said, wanting to comfort him somehow but not knowing how to in this instance. They were quiet as they made their way to the next class and Barbara was about to apologize for saying anything but Dick spoke up before she could.

'You know, you can keep asking me questions about my past. I swear I won't cry.'

Barbara smiled softly. 'I won't mind if you do. I just... don't want you to feel uncomfortable.'

'I won't be.'

They exchanged another smile but before Barbara could say anything else, their path was impeded by a group of giggling girls.

'Is your name Richard Grayson?' one of them asked, twirling a finger in her curly hair.

'Yup,' Dick replied in an easy manner. 'That's me.'

'Is it true that you're the adopted son of Bruce Wayne?'

'Uh, yeah,' he nodded, smiling almost obliviously at them that Barbara wanted to smack her own face.

'You're really cute,' one of the girls giggled, making eyes at him.

At this, Barbara grabbed his arm and started pulling him away. 'That's great girls but we are going to be late so you can ogle him at lunch.'

'Hey!' Dick protested, glancing back at the girls as he was dragged away. 'That's the first time I've had a hoard of girls giggle over me!'

'You're only nine, it won't be the last, I'm sure,' she rolled her eyes. 'Sides, you don't really want to be late, do you?'

'No,' he said. 'I s'pose not.'

Once they were seated together again, much to Amara's dismay, Dick leaned forwards. 'But I _can_ say that you're just my friend when they ask? Cause, you _are_ my friend, right?'

Barbara rolled her eyes (this boy was going to give her an eye condition), a smile spreading on her face. 'Course I'm your firend.'

'Brilliant,' Dick leaned back. 'So since we're friends, you _will_ help me write the essay we're supposed to be writing today, right?'

'I thought you were a genius?'

'Yeah, but I don't particularly like writing. I'm more of a typing guy.'

'Well that sucks for you,' she stuck out her tongue.

'Oh come on!'

The rest of the day passed much the same way, with the two of them sitting next to each other in classes and even at lunch when she introduced him to Amara. But the red-head had no chance to speak to her best friend alone, without Dick nearby, so it was with a sigh of relief when the boy finally left in an expansive looking car that Amara settled next to Barbara.

'So? What's with you and him?' the brunette asked with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Barbara scrunched her nose. 'What do you mean?'

'You're awfully chummy already. Do you like him? _Like_, like him?'

'What?' Barbara exclaimed, appalled by the very idea. 'No. I only like him as a friend!'

'So you're friends?'

'Yes,' Barbara nodded, thinking of their conversation just a few hours prior. 'Definitely friends.'


End file.
